This invention concerns convertible automobiles and more particularly tonneau cover arrangements for convertible tops.
Convertible automobile bodies include a storage space to the rear and sides of the passenger compartment, usually immediately to the rear of a side-by-side passenger seat mounted within the passenger compartment of the automobile into which the convertible top is collapsed for storage. The storage space is usually configured having a first region extending immediately to the rear of the seat receiving the fabric top and the bow frame members, and side regions alongside the seat to accommodate the frame rail members.
For styling purposes, the storage space area is covered with a tonneau cover, usually consisting of the fabric cover manually fastened over the storage space with the convertible top in the stored position. Alternatively, a rigid panel is adapted to be mounted in a position overlying the storage area flush with the surrounding body surfaces.
It is highly desirable for aesthetic purposes that a tonneau cover be adapted to overlie the storage space with the convertible top in either the stored or up position to provide a finished interior appearance to the passenger compartment. It is also highly desirable that a simplified actuation of the tonneau cover be allowed in order to enhance the convenience of raising and lowering the convertible top.
In the instance of the movable hard tonneau panel, one arrangement heretofore known involves a rear hinged tonneau panel which is raised in order to allow movement of the top frame into and out of the storage space with the tonneau cover thereafter lowered into position. In this design, the rear of the top frame must be subsequently secured to the tonneau panel after raising the top and lowering of the tonneau panel in order to close the tonneau panel with the top in the "up" position.
That is, the top is first raised, the tonneau panel lowered past a partially elevated rear section of the top frame, with the rear section of the top frame then subsequently secured to the tonneau panel to complete the top raising operation. This obviously is a relatively complicated top raising procedure, lessening the convenience of raising the convertible top.
In prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,992,042 and 2,959,447, there is disclosed relatively complex power mechanisms for positioning rigid tonneau cover panels configured to overlie a storage space provided for an automobile convertible top.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,599,277 to Orr discloses a tonneau panel alternatively hinged or removable from a manually operated rear body panel, with separate removable side well covers.
While not involving complex power mechanisms, the tonneau cover arrangement of Orr requires a series of separate manual steps, relatively inconvenient to execute in raising or lowering the top.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tonneau cover mechanism in which a hard panel cover assembly is adapted to cover the storage space in a covertible automobile body in both the top raised and stored positions, which allows for simplified tonneau cover actuation by a two-step process which does not necessitate the attachment of the rear of the convertible top to the tonneau cover panel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tonneau cover mechanism which is quickly and conveniently operated.